EVERY PARENT

Every parent has been told a story that is factual...sort of. Most of us learn that you wait to judge until you have assessed the situation, especially if you can hear the other side.

We often find that the child has a memory that is firmly planted, but some of the facts just aren't right. Again, most of us (the exceptions are the parents who attack teachers) avoid the "rush to judgment."

In my opinion, there are three principal stories that could be completely true in the Dr. Ford-Judge Kavanaugh saga:

1.    Dr. Ford's account is completely factual, Judge Kavanaugh's account is completely false.

2.    Dr. Ford was groped and terribly frightened, but it was not Kavanaugh.

3.    Dr. Ford's memory of the ordeal was flawed due to the passage of time, trauma and alcohol.

I certainly don't know the answer, but I refuse to crucify a man who has led an honorable life according to all accounts (other than hers) based on a single point of reference. Her "witnesses" didn't help her at all.

I'll bet husbands and wives, parents and daughters all across this land have had some interesting discussions about this. Personal stuff. While the D. C. area high school culture of the 1980's was apparently charged with underage drinking and suspect behavior, I'm going to bet that there has been a lot of discussion about similar happenings around the country.

Add money and privilege, like in the D.C. area...

Judge Kavanaugh has not been confirmed, but if he is, don't you think he may have a bit different view of the cases sponsored by Democrats from now on? Remember, the Dems brought this whole thing on when they started the "nuclear option."

INTERNATIONAL ONE HIT WONDER DAY

Ever get a song stuck in your head? Ever waste time on the internet? Got one for ya—today is “International One Hit Wonder Day.” You’ll notice it is not just “regional.”

What’s your favorite? The one that always gets stuck in my head is “The Night the Lights Went out in Georgia.” Vicki Lawrence. Carol Burnett’s sidekick. Who knew?

Here are some more:

“Afternoon Delight.”

“Mickey” This was a drill team song in about 1986 and drove everybody nuts

“In the Summertime.” Should get a gold star for high weirdness of the band’s name—Mungo Jerry—and for a prominent role played by blowing into a jug

Who can forget “Harper Valley PTA,” “Seasons in the Sun,” “Play that Funky Music (White Boy),” or “Girl from Ipanema.” In the bossa nova style.

“Classical Gas.” A guitar instrumental. This is not happening in today’s environment.

“Dominique.” In French, religious, by a Belgian nun. Tragically, she later left the convent and committed suicide with her partner.

“In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.” Whittled down from the original 45 minutes on the album to 3 minutes for radio.

“Judy in Disguise (with Glasses).” When you’re from Louisiana, it might be hard to understand that kind of English.

They all have in common that these songs were the only time these artists hit the Top 100 charts. You will also notice that they mostly came from that special period of pop music, early 1960’s through the Disco era.

Not much from the highly produced stuff now that doesn’t have much in common with “music.” So fortunate to have grown up in a time that had these outliers and also the great bands and musicians.

Son Matt is a fan of the author Malcolm Gladwell who pointed out that The Beatles were not amateurs who just appeared on the scene, but paid their dues in Germany by performing hours and hours. Eventually attaining the 10,000 hours that Gladwell often used to assess whether a person actually knows what they are doing.

I don't get it

How can a business that pays producer in Asia 20 cents per hour turn around and pay that pretend-quarterback person tons of dollars to protest inequality?

Lots of disconnects?

MISSING MAN FORMATION

Forgive me for again beating this dead horse:

Reuters reported that a "squadron" of Blue Angels performed a flyover at the service for John McCain yesterday.

Facts are:

• It was not the Blue Angels and it was not a squadron
• It was, as reported by the local Virginia Beach news, a composite flight of four A/F 18 "Super Hornets" from four different squadrons out of NAS Oceana here in Virginia Beach
• It is called the "Missing Man Formation" 
• The four aircraft approach the ceremony area in formation and one, "Dash 3," pulls up and away, symbolic of the soaring of the spirit
• It is an honor to be selected to fly in such a formation and it is one of the highest honors to the deceased who are often, like Senator McCain, pilots.

There ya go. Now that was simple enough. Why can't the news get anything right?

UPDATE: Danny was one of the pilots selected to perform the flyover and then the Missing Man formation at the funeral of another Navy pilot, former President Bush.